CHAPTER 58

URBAN CHICKENS
58.01 Purpose 58.04 Enclosure Requirements
58.02 Definitions 58.05 Number of Chickens Permitted
58.03 Where Permitted 58.06 Permit Requirements

58.01 PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of
the citizens within the City by allowing a process by which a property owner may keep a limited
number of domesticated chickens on their property while observing minimum property
standards.

58.02 DEFINITIONS. Definitions used in this chapter:

1. “Chicken” means a member of the subspecies Gallus gallus domesticus, a
domesticated fowl.
2. “Urban chicken” means a chicken kept on a permitted tract of land pursuant to
a permit issued under this chapter.
3. “Coop” means a cage, enclosure, or building used for housing and protecting
chickens from weather and predators.
4. “Pen” means an enclosure for chickens which allows freedom of movement but
also prevents escape.
5. “Permittee” means an applicant who has been granted a permit to raise, harbor
or keep chickens pursuant to this chapter.

58.03 WHERE PERMITTED. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the keeping
of domestic chickens (sub species Gallus gallus domesticus), except roosters, shall be permitted
in single dwelling unit residential properties so long as such keeping is in compliance with this
subsection and all other applicable City ordinances.

58.04 ENCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS. The following criteria shall be considered a

minimum form of compliance for the City to consider issuing a permit allowing for the presence
of any particular chickens unless allowing such chickens would endanger the health, safety,
peace, quiet, comfort, enjoyment of, or otherwise become a public nuisance to nearby residents
or occupants or places of business:
1. Chickens must be confined in a coop, fowl house, or mobile coop, known as a
chicken tractor, not less than 18 inches in height. In addition to be confined within a
coop, a fenced pen area at a size outlined below shall be maintained. Chickens must be
kept within the coop, the fowl house, or the fenced pen area at all times unless removed
for a temporary time for the safety of the chicken.
2. The coop, the fowl house, or the fenced pen area must be of such a design to be
reasonably expected to prevent entry by dogs, cats, or other animals and shall be
completely enclosed.
3. The coop or fowl house must be used for chickens only and must be well
ventilated.

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4. The coop, the fowl house, or the fenced pen area shall have a minimum of four
square feet of floor area for each chicken but shall not be any larger than 12 square feet
of area for each chicken. The coop, fowl house, or fenced pen area shall be a minimum
of 25 feet from any neighboring dwelling property line. Chicken tractors shall be a
minimum of 25 feet from any property line at all times. In the event a zoning or other
ordinance requires a greater distance, the more restrictive regulations shall apply.
5. Any coop, fowl house, or fenced pen area must be well drained so there is no
accumulation of moisture.
6. Any coop, fowl house, or fenced pen area shall be kept clean, sanitary and free
from accumulation of chicken excrement and objectionable odors. All droppings and
body excretions shall be either placed in fly-proof containers and double-bagged in
plastic bags or, in the alternative, used as fertilizer on the same property or, with the
owner’s permission, on other property within the City, so long as the droppings and
body excretions are spread and incorporated into the soil within 24 hours.
7. In addition to the coop, fowl house, or fenced pen area, the permittee shall be
responsible for sufficiently confining chickens to the permitted property and prevent
chickens from entering upon any adjacent property.
8. All chicken feed shall be stored in rodent-proof containers.
9. All such chickens must be hens; no roosters are permitted.
10. The City shall not be liable for injury or death of chickens caused by dogs, cats,
or other animals, domestic or wild, whether such animals are licensed by the City or
not. Further, injury or death of a chicken caused by an animal is not, in and of itself,
sufficient grounds for the City to determine that the animal is a vicious animal pursuant
to this Code of Ordinances. Any dead chicken shall be disposed of immediately upon
discovering said dead chicken in a manner so as to not cause a nuisance pursuant to this
Code of Ordinances.
11. Slaughtering of chickens or selling of eggs are forbidden.
12. An owner or possessor of animals on property that is newly annexed or rezoned
to a residential classification has 90 days from the date of annexation or rezoning to
bring the property into compliance required by this section.
13. A violation of this subsection is a municipal infraction as provided in this Code
of Ordinances.

58.05 NUMBER OF CHICKENS PERMITTED. No more than four chickens shall be kept
or maintained per property at any time, subject to the grandfathering of those individuals who
have received permission to have up to six chickens prior to passage of the ordinance codified
in this chapter.

58.06 PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. No person shall keep any chickens unless such person
possesses a City permit issued by the City Clerk.
1. Permits will remain valid for so long as the property remains in possession of
the person to whom the permit was issued.
2. Fee. The fee for such permit $35.00.
3. Property owners shall notify the City upon discontinuance of housing chickens.

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A. As part of discontinuing of housing chickens on the property, the pen

and coop areas shall be cleaned in a timely manner so as to not provide a
nuisance to neighboring property owners.
B. Fees shall not be refunded if the property owner removes the chickens
from the premises.
4. The permit may be suspended or revoked by the City Council upon hearing and
finding evidence that the permittee has violated the conditions of the permit and listed
in this section. All chickens must be removed from the premises and disposed of in
accordance with public health practices upon revocation of the permit. There will be
no refund of the permit fee. All associated costs of removal of the chickens shall be
assessed back to the property owner.
5. By the granting of the permit to raise chickens and the application thereof, the
permittee authorizes that the City or its agents have the right to go onto permittee’s
property any time for the limited purpose of inspection of the premises to ensure that
all applicable conditions have been met.

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